1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to device security. More specifically, the present invention relates to using a proximity security token to provide proximity-based device security.
2. Background of the Invention
Communications devices, such as cellular telephones, have become a common tool of everyday life. Cellular telephones are no longer simply used to place telephone calls. With the number of features available rapidly increasing, cellular telephones, often in the form of a smartphone, are now used for storing addresses, keeping a calendar, reading e-mails, drafting documents, etc. With this wide range of features comes an even greater need for security. For instance, e-mails or documents may be private or privileged and need to be safe from unauthorized users. An unauthorized user picking up or stealing the smartphone should not be able to access this private information.
As more enterprises turn towards smartphones, the ability to lock phones is a necessity. Currently, smartphones may be password protected through the keypad. However, users of smartphones find password locks on smartphones annoying and inconvenient. The user sets up a password consisting of a series of keystrokes which must be re-entered to later access the cellular phone. These passwords can generally be any number of characters which the user will remember. Ideally, the password is challenging enough that an unauthorized user cannot simply guess the password and gain access. A problem with using simply a keypad for password entry is the ability of others to determine the password without the user's knowledge. Someone may be able to see the user enter the password and easily be able to repeat it. Additionally, these passwords are inconvenient, as users must look directly at the keypad and press a sequence of buttons. The keys are often small with hard to read numbers or letters and lockouts may require frequent use of the passwords. Thus, users often choose to disable such features. More of these users may choose to utilize the security mechanisms if such mechanisms were easier and more convenient. Such security becomes even more important as devices are used more frequently as a means for mobile payments.
What is needed is a way to secure a device while keeping the device easily accessible to an authorized user.